


The Iron Magnolia

by justanotherpipedream



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Alternate Universe - Urban Fantasy, Canon-Typical Violence, Detective Steve, Gang Violence, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Siren Tony, werewolf bucky
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-23
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-04-27 00:15:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14413530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justanotherpipedream/pseuds/justanotherpipedream
Summary: On the streets of New York, a quiet war brews. With his faithful werewolf bodyguard Yasha by his side, Tony leads his loyal Iron Knights from the shadows, hidden behind the smoky haze of the Iron Magnolia speakeasy. Everything is business as usual until one day, Detective Steve Rogers stumbles in and demands an audience with Tony.While internal chaos erupts within the police department, the supernatural underbelly of the city fights its own war. Loyalties are tested and the line between friend and foe becomes more indistinguishable day-by-day as Tony, Yasha and Steve struggle to discover the hidden truth beyond the bright neon lights.





	1. Chapter 1

“Hey boss, there’s someone here to see you.”

Tony swirled the rest of the wine in his glass before downing the rest. He glanced over at Kamala in the doorway. “Did they give a name?”

Kamala shook her head, hands fidgeting as she brushed her hair away from her face. “No, but he said it was important. He told me to tell you that a Scott Lang sent him to you.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. “Lang hmm? Show him to one of the tables in the back please Kamala.”

“Yessir!” Kamala saluted. Tony waited until the waitress wandered down the stairs back through the main part of the club before he stood up. He flicked the file of receipts closed, locking them in the filing cabinet behind him. 

After scanning to make sure nothing was left behind on his desk, Tony locked the door behind him as he strolled down the stairs and into the club. 

The Iron Magnolia was outlined in a swath of golden fairy lights that shimmered in the high-hanging chandeliers. Velvet vintage chairs surrounded each of the tables as the booths in the back were covered by thin black veils. Tony watched as delighted newcomers entered for the first time, gleefully discussing the hidden entrance to the club from above. 

It wasn’t too busy at the moment. Wednesday evenings were usually slow at this time of night, but Tony spotted a few regulars sitting in booths, laughing as they conversed with their regular hosts.

Soft jazz floated through the room as Tony spotted Clint seated at the piano on the stage. The half-elf was always a crowd pleaser, and knew how to work the room before Natasha went on later in the evenings. 

“Good evening boss!” 

“Mr. Stark! It’s good to see you!”

Tony nodded at the waiters and waitresses, rushing by as they filled drink orders. He wandered past them towards the bar, greeting the werewolf behind the bar. 

Rhodey slid a glass of red wine across the bar, crossing his arms as he glanced towards the back of the club. 

“He’s at the back. He smells anxious, be careful with this one.”

Taking a sip of the wine, Tony grinned. “Since when am I not careful honeybear?”

Rhodey raised an eyebrow, his pointed ears flicking backwards. “Do you really want me to answer that?”

Tony frowned, as Rhodey glanced at his phone. “Maybe you should wait until Yasha gets here before you meet this guy.” 

Tony shook his head. “If he was really planning on doing something that dramatic, he wouldn’t have done so in the middle of the day. Besides, I know you’ll jump in if necessary.”

Rhodey opened his mouth to protest, but Tony grinned, swiped the glass off the bar. He turned and flounced away as he weaved to the back of the club. The booths at the back were covered to be a bit more private for those with a bit more coin to spare. 

Tony could see the large frame of the man from afar. He wore a clean blue shirt and jeans as he waited, leg bouncing a little. Tony inhaled deeply. Mostly human but...if Tony’s nose was correct there was definitely whiffs of something supernatural in his blood.

Intriguing.

Tony set the glass down on the table and slid into the booth with ease. Striking blue eyes stared back at him guarded as Tony took a sip from his glass. Before he could say anything, Tony lifted his hand. “If you’re going to be asking for my time detective, like any other customer, I’m going to have to ask you to at least buy a drink first.”

Tony watched as the detective’s ears turned a bright red as he glanced over to another table. Two of his hosts were entertaining a high paying customer a few tables away, giggling as their customer ordered another expensive bottle of champagne. 

“It’s strictly conversation,” Tony answered bemusedly as the detective’s eyes snapped back to him, “hosts, male or female, can be paid to entertain and talk with you about whatever you want for a few hours. It’s nothing like what’s running through your head there.”

Tony raised his hand and Peter immediately walked over. Peter vibrated, his pointed ears twitching as his four eyes blinked rapidly. “Yes boss?”

Tony turned to the man across from him. The man cleared his throat, “I’ll have a pint of whatever house beer you have on tap.”

Peter nodded as he left for the bar. Tony smiled at the man in front of him. “So, what can I do for you detective?”

The man blinked as he turned to Tony, frame tensing and instantly on guard. “...how did you know?”

Tony leaned back raising an eyebrow. “You might not be carrying a badge or gun right now detective, but old habits die hard. Before I sat down, I saw you glancing around, checking for exits. You sat specifically on that side, facing the exit.”

“That narrowed things down a bit. What sealed it, was the fact that you mentioned that Scott sent you” said Tony, leaning back. “Which means that you are either his partner Steve Rogers, or someone that owes him a great debt. And from the expression on your face, I’ll ask you this: what can I help you with Detective Rogers?”

Both paused as Peter returned, sliding the beer onto the table with a smile. “Enjoy!” 

Before Steve could utter a thank you, Peter had dashed off. Steve cleared his throat. “Steve. Just Steve is fine.” 

Staring at the beer, Steve examined it carefully. Tony’s lips twitched. “Something wrong with your drink detective?”

Tony watched the detective frown, glancing up at Tony. “No, it’s fine-”

Steve cut off as Tony rolled his eyes and leaned forward, grabbing Steve’s drink. He swallowed a sip before setting it back down in front of Steve. “Not drugged. That would be bad for business detective.”

“I didn’t mean-” Steve trailed off, hands fluttering before they settled around his glass. Steve took a large gulp, sighing as he set it back down. “It’s been a rough few days.”

Tony waited patiently for Steve to continue. He watched as Steve mulled over his words and scanned Tony’s face “Scott Lang was arrested two days ago.”

Tony didn’t bother to hide his surprise. “Lang? Really?”

Steve was watching him intently now. Tony could see the twitch in Steve’s jaw as he forced out the words. “A series of arsons and first degree murder.”

Tony frowned. “Huh.”

Steve waited, eyes raised for him to continue. Tony tapped his fingers on the table. “That’s weird to say the least.”

“Weird?” Steve echoed. “How so?”

Tony let out a huff of amusement, as he clasped his hands. “You know as well as I do that Scott is no murderer.”

Steve opened and closed his mouth, as if he was expecting Tony to say almost anything else. 

Tony took another sip of his wine glass, studying Steve. “I see. And the evidence?”

“All circumstantial,” Steve replied, “but in all my years there, I’ve never seen an arrest warrant signed, sealed and delivered that fast. Ever. Especially considering Scott is considered one of our own.”

Tony hummed. “Sounds like a nightmare of an internal affairs case. Why come to me?”

Steve looked Tony directly in the eyes. “Because Scott gave your name when I asked him where to look next. So tell me Mr. Stark, where were you two nights ago during the hours of 9pm and midnight-”

“Here of course,” Tony waved, “At the club. There were about fifty people who talked to me throughout the night if you really need witnesses. But you already know this don’t you? A detective like you would’ve already confirmed all of this with my staff before you even spoke to me.”

Tony smirked as he watched Steve’s eyes twitch. “I don’t think Scott told you that I had anything to do with this. I do think that Scott told you to come find me perhaps to ask for my help, yes?”

Steve’s eyes flickered with something unreadable, but Tony knew he got him. After all, no one got to Tony’s position without being good at what he did. Tony clicked his tongue. “I could help detective. But information like that doesn’t come cheap.”

Steve inhaled sharply. “How about you help me, and I won’t arrest you right now for obstruction of justice-”

Tony laughed, his eyes sharp as he considered the man in front of him. “If you had the power to run an investigation detective you would’ve slapped your warrant down the moment you entered my club. No, let me tell you what I think.”

“I think,” Tony started, “that you and I are perhaps the only two who believe Scott, and that your superiors are trying to wrap this case up as quickly and as quietly as you can. I think that while you barged in here asking questions and taking names, you’re not here on official business.”

Tony’s voice darkened as he continued, the smooth timbre of his voice lowering as he picked up speed. “I think the fact that you haven’t shown me a badge yet confirms it. No one else believes you. Even if they do, no one is willing to stick their own neck out to challenge it. I don’t owe you anything.”

Before Steve could retort, Tony barreled on. “You’re here alone detective, without the law behind you. WIthout any backup. So if I were you Steve Rogers, I would be very careful with how you choose to ask me for help.”

They stared at each other in silence for a long moment. The soft chatter in the club lulled to a hush as a sultry voice greeted the crowd. Tony finished his glass of red wine, small specs of red drying at the bottom. Steve closed his eyes before opening them once again.

“I was only allowed to visit him once in lockup before they moved him. Scott didn’t go into much detail, but said to come here, to the Iron Magnolia and find the owner Tony. He said you’d help him, that you could get information to clear his name.”

Tony waved his hand and almost immediately, Peter rushed over juggling the tray under his arm. “Yes Mr. Stark?”

Tony paused for a moment. “Breath Peter, I know it’s getting busier, but slow down a bit or you’ll collapse. Got it spiderling?”

Peter let out a deep breath. “Got it boss. What can I get ya? Another glass of red?”

Tony motioned to the wine glass in front of him. “Yes please. And another pint for our friend here.” 

“Right away Mr. Stark!”

Peter cleared Tony’s wine glass on the table, but left Steve’s mostly finished beer on the table. Steve blinked as Peter was gone in an instant. “Spiderling?”

“It’s a nickname,” Tony replied, “he’s a spider nymph, one of the fastest servers we got, but not the most graceful on his feet. Good kid though.”

Steve glanced around the club, eyes locking on the red-headed singer now entrancing the audience. The main band was on a short break, but Clint was still there accompanying the singer. Her eyes glinted a molten gold as the audience almost swayed to the music.

“A siren,” breathed Steve in surprise. “I don’t think I’ve actually met one before.”

“Not as rare as you think,” exhaled Tony with a small smile, “Now, what exactly has Scott told you about me?”

Steve shook his head. “Nothing other than that you would be able to find out more about what happened and that you own this club. How do you know each other anyways?”

Tony eyed him as he drank slowly from his glass. “Let’s just say that Lang used to play a lot of cards back in the day. As for your information, that is something that can be arranged. Information is my specialty...for a price.”

Steve tightened his grip around his glass. “You want money.”

“No,” Tony answered, “No offence, but I think I make much more than you and Scott combined. No, let’s call it a trade of favours. If I get the information that you’re looking for, you give me information that I need.”

Steve crossed his arms,“What kind of information would that be?”

“Nothing too illegal, so you can unclench captain tightpants.” Tony raised an eyebrow. “I’ve got a friend who is looking for some enlistment records.”

Steve frowned. “There’s no way I’m passing on top secret military information-”

“Nothing that extensive,” interrupted Tony, rolling his eyes. “Just dates and proof of enlistment.”

Steve slowly blinked. “...that’s it? Enlistment dates? Why can’t you just get that from the head office-”

“Because they’re only releasing it to his pack,” Tony cut in, “he won’t return to them, so he can’t get them.”

Tony watched as Steve’s eyes widened in sympathy. While it was rare, sometimes werewolves wanted to break away from their family packs after returning from the military. Released from their military pack, some soldiers could never settle back into their family packs after returning, and request to be released. 

While many family packs understood and agreed to it, some older clans refused to release them from their pack. As a result, some soldiers are forced to break all their ties with the werewolf community. Some rejoin the military while others wander from place to place, unable to settle down into a new pack. 

Steve was clearly misunderstanding the situation, but Tony swallowed as he fought off the guilt. As long as Tony got those papers, Steve could think what he wanted. 

Tony snapped back to attention as Steve started to speak again.

“How do I know I can trust you and your information?”

“You can’t,” answered Tony, “You either trust me or you don’t. I give you the information, you do with it as you please.” 

Tony looked over to the far booths. The waiters were setting up a champagne tower as the rest of the onlookers cheered. “You should know better than anyone detective, how a lot of information is much easier to obtain after drinks and a good time. I pride myself on doing good business, and good business doesn’t fly on bad information.”

Tony levelled Steve with a stare. “So..do we have a deal?”

Steve paused, slowly nodding as he extended his hand. “We have a deal, Mr. Stark.”

“Call me Tony, detective.” said Tony, reaching out to shake the offered hand.

Steve’s grip enveloped Tony’s hand in warmth. Their hands lingered for a while before Tony pulled back.

“Steve. I’m not technically on duty here.”

“Steve then,” Tony agreed, “it’s been a pleasure. I’ll have someone contact you once I find out more.”

Steve downed the rest of his beer before he stood up, tossing some cash onto the table. “...until then.”

Tony waited a minute Steve had left the club before picking up his empty wine glass, wandering into the back kitchen. He walked past the chefs and the general bustle of the kitchen towards a small table in the back, handing his empty wine glass off to a passing busboy. 

Pietro and Wanda were seated around the metal table and chatted in low voices as they munched on a plate of fries. 

Tony pulled out his phone, pulling up the security feed outside the main entrance. Sliding his phone onto the table, Tony tapped the video of Steve leaving the club. “Steve Rogers. He’s a uniform, so he’s going to be a fun challenge for you. Keep an eye on him but don’t get too close. I want to make sure he isn’t setting us up.”

Pietro popped a handful of fries into his mouth before he stood up. He smacked a greasy kiss onto Wanda’s forehead before dodging her swipe. “Got it boss. I’ll keep you up to date.”

Wanda scowled as her brother saluted them before he was gone. Turning back to the phone on the table, her eyes turned contemplative. “I see both good fortune and trouble on the horizon with this one.”

Tony snagged a fry off the plate. “Out of the frying pan, into the fire with that one. This will be fun.”


	2. Chapter 2

Yasha wrinkled his nose and crossed his arms. “Really Clint? You couldn’t leave the one that wouldn’t piss everywhere alive?”

Clint frowned. “...the other one wouldn’t stop complaining and annoyed me.” 

The shifter tied to the chair in front of them whimpered as Yasha glared at the wet stain between his legs. Blood dripped from his face onto the plastic tarps that lined the warehouse floors. The large industrial fans clattered and whirred overhead, circulating fresh air to remove any smells  while also masking any sounds from within. Two men stood guard at the back entrance, shielded by the hanging plastic tarps hanging between the door and the main warehouse.

Perched on the table, Clint crossed his arms as he stared down at the bloodied shifter in front of him. After waving to one of the guards, Clint clicked his tongue. “Johnny, Johnny, Johnny. You just couldn’t keep your hands out of the pot could you?”

Johnny spat blood at Clint's feet. “Why shouldn’t I? It wasn’t even a lot, why not take some for myself-”

A sharp slap had the shifter coughing, sputtering as even more blood dripped onto the ground from a new cut across the shifter’s face. 

Clint leaned closer, nails digging into the shifter’s face as his grip tightened. “That’s the problem isn’t it? You took without asking first. We feed you, trust you, and this is how you repay us? Not only did you steal from us, you  _ betrayed _ us, and you know how the family deals with that.”

The guard returned carrying a large wrapped bundle. Unraveling the cloth, Clint grabbed the sword lightly as he eyed the sweating shifter in front of him. The man bared his teeth and growled as his gaze locked onto the glowing blade. 

Behind Clint, Yasha glanced out the window with a sigh. “Don’t take too long. Your shift is up soon.”

Clint winced. Natasha was always annoyed when she had no one to accompany her on the piano for her performances. “We can’t have that can we? Guess I have no choice but to speed things along a bit.”

Yasha pushed past the hanging plastic tarps, and towards the back exit. He heard duct tape rip and a gasp. Clint’s voice was pleasant as he continued his interrogation. “Last chance. Tell me everything you know about your clients...”

Yasha closed and locked the door behind him, walking away from the docks. Eyes flickered towards past the setting sun and towards the full moon in the distance. He walked faster. The club would be open soon, and he had a lot of ground to cover before he could head back.

He carefully peeled off his leather jacket, folding it meticulously as he stuffed it into his shoulder bag. Closing his eyes, he shuddered as he felt a tingling itch under his skin, welcoming the need to change. 

While Hydra had repressed Yasha’s instincts to shift as much as they could, Yasha had learned to push the need away, no matter how much it hurt. Even after being freed, he’d found it difficult to allow himself to do so, suppressing the urge even months after his rescue.

Fear of hurting his family, of hurting  _ Tony  _ had Yasha desperately clinging to controlling and preventing his shift. They had just accepted him into their pack; there was no way Yasha was going to risk his place by giving into his own selfish desires. It took Tony putting his foot down and coaxing the werewolf into his shift before Yasha gave in.

_ “You need to allow yourself to let go cupcake. You’ll only end up hurting yourself if you try and fight it. I know you’re worried about letting go and hurting someone, but you know I won’t let that happen. Come on cupcake, you can do this. I’ve got you.” _

That first time, it took about an hour for Yasha’s shaking to stop as he huddled in the corner of the room. Everything was so much louder and overwhelming as he struggled to process his senses once again. It was only after Tony had slowly inched closer to him, big brush in hand as he gently combed through Yasha’s fur that he slowly started to relax. Soon after, Yasha drifted in and out as familiar scents tickled his nose. 

Pepper’s floral perfume. Natasha’s peppermint tea. Even the whiff of cheetos that was undoubtedly Clint soothed Yasha. Even Rhodey ambled into the room in his shifted form and whined at Yasha to cuddle.

By the end of the evening, Yasha was napping blissfully as Tony massaged oil into his fur. It was the first time since Hydra that Yasha had ever felt safe in his own shift, with the scents of his family surrounding him. 

With months of Tony’s patience and help, Yasha was proud of how easy it was for him now to shift into his wolf form at will. And now, his pack not only encouraged him, but trusted him to patrol their territory on his full moon nights.

Yasha removed the last of his clothing into his bag and secured it on his back. He dropped into the shift, form shifting as he sniffed the air chasing the call of the moon. The urge to transform and prowl, to scent and mark his territory kicked in. 

It was time to protect what was his.

* * *

Tony collapsed onto the couch, closing his eyes.

The Friday night crowd had the club packed with eager patrons ready to listen to Natasha and the band. A lot of high paying regulars also loved showing up Friday night, so Tony spent hours mingling and shaking hands.

A sudden hand on his neck had Tony tensing before he relaxed with a groan. Fingers gently massaged his neck, releasing the tension. Tony shifted to his right, patting the couch beside him.

“Have I told you how much you spoil me snowflake? Sit down, relax. You work harder than I do these days.”

“Doubtful” Yasha replied, voice slightly hoarse from hours of unuse. Tony felt the couch dip beside him before he was gently tugged. A metal arm tugged him and adjusted him so that his head was in Yasha’s lap. Cool metal fingers massaged his temples as Tony sighed. 

“Full moon always gets you antsy doesn’t it? I’m fine, I’m safe.”

Yasha’s ministrations continued as he brushed his fingers through Tony’s hair. While the full moon had many werewolves and shifters giving into their baser instincts, this bonding ritual was always one of Tony’s favourites. “I know. And I want to keep it that way.”

Tony hummed. “I had an interesting visitor yesterday.”

Tony could feel Yasha pause for a moment, but continued as he waited for Tony to explain. Tony opened his eyes. “Lang was arrested a few days ago. He was booked for arson and murder.”

Yasha startled. “Lang? The guy who trips over his own feet stumbles into wasp nests? People actually believe that?”

“Apparently,” Tony replied dryly, “Someone is putting him up as a lamb for slaughter.”

To Tony’s satisfaction, he could see Yasha’s mind whirling as he slowly read between the lines. “You think this is territory related, or a power struggle?”

“At least the second, maybe the first. Lang is going to be heavily monitored, so I’m gonna need you to contact our other trojan horse and find out more about what’s going on.”

Yasha nodded. “I’ll get Natasha on it.”

Tony bit his lip, hesitating slightly. “Lang also sent us his partner, Steve Rogers. He paid me a visit earlier tonight.”

Yasha’s fingers tightened in reflex before he pulled them away. “And what does he want?.”

Tony sat up, taking Yasha’s flesh hand into his own. “Information to clear Scott’s name, proof that he’s being set up.” Tony sat up straighter, his next words deliberate and careful. “Are you sure you don’t want to even meet-”

Yasha grabbed both of Tony’s hands in his own. “No. I’m perfectly happy where I am. With the family.”

_ WIth you  _ went unsaid, but Tony could still hear it, even if Yasha didn’t say it out loud.

Yasha tugged Tony back into his lap, draping his leather coat to envelop Tony in his scent. “I don’t remember that life. Even if  _ he _ does, I’m not the same person anymore.”

Tony relaxed as he felt the soothing rumble behind him. Thinking back to the man they rescued from Hydra’s clutches years ago, he was almost unrecognizable now. No longer was the man an empty shell, afraid of everything that lurked in the shadows. With a new name and a second chance at life, Yasha had flourished and carved his own path and place with their makeshift family.

Loud and frantic knocking interrupted their thoughts, and in a flash Yasha was at the door. Kamala huffed and puffed as she leaned against the door, flushed and in disarray. “There’s a group of men here to see you. I told them we were closed already, but they won’t take no for an answer.”

Yasha frowned, but a pat on his shoulder had him glancing down at Tony beside him. “Thank you Kamala. I’ll be there in a minute,” said Tony calmly, “You and Peter leave whatever you have left in the kitchen and finish up tomorrow night. Go home and get some sleep.”

Kamala bobbed her head as she turned and rushed back down the stairs. Yasha scowled as Tony brushed past him. Yasha followed a step behind “Any idea who it is?”

“Only one way to find out,” replied Tony, “at least they had the decency to wait until we’re closed instead of trying to scare our customers away.”

Yasha followed behind Tony as they walked down the stairs into the main part of the club.

Tony followed the sounds of raised voices as he strolled into the club.

“...hurry up. Stupid waitress. Fucking finally.”

Three giant orcs lounged on bar stools. They all had scars running across their arms, dressed in cheap leather jackets and jeans. Dark red tattoos snaked around their necks, and they grumbled loudly as they picked at their teeth to Rhodey’s disdain. 

Tony winced at the sound of glass breaking as two of the orcs laughed. The largest one stood up at Tony and Yasha’s approach, eyes skimming over Tony to talk to Yasha. 

“You in charge here? I’ve been waiting for fucking ever to talk to you about the weapons shipments comin’ in. Someone been interceptin’ our orders.”

Yasha sneered, baring his teeth slightly as he leaned against the back wall. Tony’s eyes flashed a glimmer of gold as he stopped in front of the leader. “ _ I’m  _ in charge here. And I don’t appreciate you scaring my staff and breaking my customers.”

The leader narrowed his eyes for a moment before rolling his head back in roaring laughter. The rest of the orcs joined in as they slapped their thighs. Yasha snarled, hand in his jacket, but Tony shook his head. Yasha bit his lip as he forced himself back against the wall. 

The leader chortled as he looked on “Oh look boys, this pretty boy has his dog on a tight leash.” 

In a flash, the large orc howled as he fell to his knees. Tony’s foot was pressed into the back of the orc’s knee, as he calmly held the blade tightly against the orc’s neck. The other two orcs stood in confusion as their laughter trailed off. 

The orcs jumped to their feet as they pulled out long batons. Tony pressed the blade deeper, a small trail of dark blood lining the knife. The large orc leader snarled at his orcs, and they slowly lowered their weapons. 

“Apologize to Yasha for being rude. You’ve got a minute to tell me exactly what you want from me and who sent you. Got it?”

The leader snarled, but Tony merely tightened his arm, wrapping tighter around his neck. The orc’s coughed, glaring up at Yasha in the corner “I’m sorry alright?”

In an instant, the arm was gone and the orc was pushed from behind as he collapsed to the ground. Tony wandered back beside Yasha, sliding into the booth. “You’ve got a minute.”

The orc sputtered as he stood back up, shaking off hands to help him up. He turned around, reaching into his jacket with a growl. “You bitch! You have no fucking idea who you’re dealing with messing with the Kitchen Irish boys.” 

Pulling out a gun, he aimed it at Tony. “Why don’t  _ you _ tell me why I don’t just shoot you right now for disrespectin’ us?”

Without breaking eye contact, Tony leaned forward. His eyes flashed gold. “Because  _ you’re  _ in over your head. Now, would you kindly turn that gun away from me. In fact, why don’t you point that at your own head and remove the safety.”

The orcs behind him gasped as the leader’s hand started to shake. “What the fuck-”

The orc leader’s eyes widened as the barrel of his gun lurched towards the side of his own head. He couldn’t stop his finger from flicking the safety so it clicked off. Tony waited a moment then continued on. “Now that I have your undivided attention, it’s my turn to talk. First, if you’ve done your homework, you would know that the Iron Knights  _ don’t _ deal weapons. Second, you’re going to have henchmen number one and two over there hand over the payment for breaking those glasses.”

The leader jerked his head at them and the other orcs scrambled to fish a handful of cash out of their wallets. They slid the money over to Rhodey who leaned over the counter. After counting it, he nodded at Tony. Tony glanced back at the leader and the orcs hiding behind him.

“Finally, I want you all to listen very closely. If you _ever_ come into my club and scare my staff or even my customers like that again, I won’t be as kind as I am right now. You can go back and tell Finn that if he wants to do business that he can come in person. Now, set the gun on the table carefully and _get the fuck out of my club._ ”

The large orc’s arm dropped in an instant. He all but threw the gun onto the table as he and the rest of his crew fled up the stairs running.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony opened the door and slid into the backseat. He tossed the bag of greasy cheeseburgers onto the empty seat beside him. “Alright Happy, let’s go.”

Happy pulled the car away from the curb and onto the main road. “We’re probably gonna be at least ten minutes late boss. What are you gonna do? You know the Grey King hates when you’re late.”

Tony peered down at his phone. “Yeah. That’s why I brought the burgers. And the milkshake.”

Happy squinted in the mirror. “Aren’t you drinking the milkshake?”

Tony slurped his straw. “Yep. That’s for me. We don’t have time to stop for coffee and I need something to get me through this meeting. Oh. I got you a burger.”

Tony unwrapped the bag and sighed happily. It was his favourite burger place in the city that had not only the best cheeseburgers, but delicious and unrivalled milkshakes. The smell of onions and cheese wafted through the air as Tony pulled the extra burger and a napkin from the bag. He passed it to Happy in the front.

“Thanks boss, we’re here. Call me when you need me.”

Tony stepped outside, slipping his sunglasses on. The sun was bright and blinding, and a wave of heat washed over him. Shutting the door behind him, Tony hit the side of the car twice before he strolled to the entrance. The doormen unlocked the door and scrambled to open the door. 

Tony felt the cool rush of the air conditioning as he walked through the entrance. Greek statues adorned the entrance hall and Tony’s shoes echoed against the white marble. A giant golden phoenix fountain glowed as it sang, greeting and mesmerizing visitors as they entered.

Tony waved his small black card and the phoenix rotated, unveiling hidden stairs leading down a dim passageway. Walking to the end of the hallway, Tony reached into his pocket and pulled out a small gold ring. Tony pressed the sigil, a small trident embedded by a golden H, into the small opening. He turned the ring until he heard a click.

Mechanical sounds buzzed as the wall slid open to reveal the hidden elevator. As Tony stepped on, the doors clicked behind him gently before it started to move upwards. The elevator stopped with a ding, and the doors opened to reveal the entrance to the penthouse.

Two goliath guards greeted him before they opened the main doors to the office. The man sitting behind the mahogany desk raised an eyebrow as Tony set the fast food bag between them. 

The Grey King scribbled away at the stack of papers at his desk. His hair was a dark brown and coiffed without a hair out of place. With his pressed shirt and perfectly tailored suit, he was the spitting image of a hardworking executive. “You’re late.”

“Which is why I brought you the burgers,” answered Tony, “You know you can’t get these anywhere else in the city.” 

The Grey King was silent as he unwrapped the burger. Peeling back the greasy paper, Erik sniffed at it. “...did you add the extra onions?”

“I did,” replied Tony as he collapsed into the armchair in front of the desk, “and the extra tomatoes.” 

“Next time bring a basket of the fries as well.” 

“Erik Lehnsherr! You cannot be serious! Those things are smothered in grease!” 

Tony turned, and Sunset marched into the room, wiggling her fingers in greeting as she threw her purse onto the armchair beside him.

Sunset Bain draped her designer coat over her shoulder as her heels clicked on the hardwood floor. Her sharp features and pointed ears were hidden behind oversized sunglasses and a large sunhat. 

Tony couldn’t blame her though; he’s heard Pepper complain too often about the sun. The fae were always particularly sensitive to the sunlight. 

Slowly peeling off her long black gloves, Sunset turned to the small tray of drinks set off to the side and started to fix herself a drink. “At the rate you eat those, you’ll die from a heart attack long before a bullet.”

Erik scoffed as he continued to eat. “I would choose that death over dying of impatience waiting for all of you to arrive on time.”

“How am  _ I _ dragged into this?” asked Tiberius blandly, as he wandered in from the other door. His large black wings slicked back behind him rustled as he strode into the room. “Is it my fault you both took so long I had to go to the bathroom?”

“Please,” said Sunset, rolling her eyes, “We all know you probably got here half an hour early because unlike Tony and I, we don’t take hours getting ready in the bathroom oiling our wings.”

Tiberius growled, giant imp wings flashing behind him. “You want to say that again you snivelling fairy!”

“Silence!” boomed Erik, slitted eyes glowing as his nostrils flared billows of smoke. “Enough squabbling like children.”

Tiberius sneered but leaned against the fireplace in silence. Sunset huffed but smoothed down her dress before she sat down. Tony slurped through his straw, finishing the last of his milkshake. 

Erik closed his eyes. “The Jade Queen is out of town, but she sent her report in last night. The Golden Palace opening was successful, and she thanks you all for your kind additions to the opening night.”

Tony hummed in satisfaction. May had worked for many months to ensure a successful grand opening of her new restaurant. He was pleased that the help he sent over had helped the busy rush of eager patrons. 

“The Hand has been hitting some of the banks that are under the Jade Knights' territory,”  Erik paused to clear his throat, “May has indicated that her knights will be returning the favour in kind within the next few weeks.” 

Erik looked to Sunset. “Platinum Queen, report.”

Sunset downed the rest of her martini. “Business as usual. We were able to use the plates taken from the last raid and fit them into the printers nicely.”

Digging into her purse, she pulled out crip stack of hundreds and plopped it onto the desk. “We’ve been experimenting with new ink, and we’re quite pleased with this combination so far. Hopefully, we’ll be able to roll this out in a few months.”

Erik picked up the stack and examined it carefully. “Good. Keep us updated.” He turned to the imp next. “Your turn. Silver King, report.”

Tiberius stepped forward. “We followed up on those missing shipments. Turns out someone’s been skimming off the top.”

Erik coolly leaned back in his chair. “And?”

“And,” Tiberius echoed, “we’ve caught Leo. We think he’s been working with someone else other than Johnny so we’re  _ convincing _ him to tell us who he’s working for.”

Tony cleared his throat. “It was Johnny.”

Tiberius paused, eyes flashing in annoyance for a brief second before he smoothed out his expression. “Oh? You found him?”

Tony silently pulled his phone from his jacket. Typing quickly, he sent the message off, and a minute later, there was a sharp knock on the back door. Clint saluted as he set a blue and white cooler onto the desk with a flourish before leaving. Erik popped open the cooler with interest.

A slightly purple hand mounted on ice greeted him as Tony continued on. “A hand for the Hand. Clint had the other one sent back as a warning.”

Erik closed the lid of the cooler, approval  “Good work, Tony. The Hand will learn their place in this city.”

He stood up addressing the entire room. “Keep an eye on your people closely. The Iron Legion stands strong because each of you have earned your keep. The Black King will be pleased with your progress, but do not get overconfident, especially when it concerns the Hand. Do not take any unnecessary risks or get into any skirmishes to draw public attention. The Iron Legion succeeds in the shadows.”

Snapping his fingers, one of the guards entered the room and cleared the cooler off the desk. Finished with his burger, Erik crumpled up the wax paper and threw the paper bag into the empty silver trash bin. “This meeting is adjourned.”

Sunset clapped her hands together. “Erik darling, if you have a moment, I  _ must _ know the name of your caterer from your last party, those canapes were to  _ die  _ for…”

Tony stretched as he stood up from his chair. Tony typed out a message to Happy on his phone to bring the car around. Tony sighed as he felt Tiberius’ grip on his shoulder as he leaned down to hiss in Tony’s ear. “I see what you did back there Stark, and it won’t work.”

Tony suppressed a yawn. “If you did your job properly the first time, I wouldn’t have had to do it for you. And honestly? People don’t think about you nearly as often as you think they do.”

Wings snapped as sharp claws dug into Tony’s arm. “How  _ dare  _ you-”

Tony’s eyes flashed a dangerous gold. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll unhand me  _ now _ -”

“Come now boys,” Sunset’s sharp voice cut in. Her generally genial and musical tone, pierced their ears as her displeasure rang clear. Erik sat back at his desk, arms crossed as he observed the tense room.

Tiberius dropped Tony’s arm with a sneer and Tony rubbed his arm with a hiss.

Sunset swung her purse over her arm as she wandered over. “Let’s play nice, we’re all family here.”

Tiberius huffed, nodding stiffly to Erik before storming out of the room. Sunset slid her sunglasses on, and kissed Tony lightly on the cheek. She whispered in his ear. “Don’t mind him. He’s just jealous that your our Grey Kings’ favourite.”

Tony chuckled. “I thought that was you.”

Sunset winked before she slid her sunglasses on with a dramatic sigh, “We all know that I’m  _ Hollywood’s _ favourite. You can be Erik’s, I’ll take the world. Ta-ta for now darlings.”

With a wave and a smile, Sunset Bain strolled out of the room waving her hand to slam the doors shut behind her.

Erik leaned against the front of his desk. “Before you leave, did you have anything else to report? I’ve heard you’ve gone poking around with the men in blue.”

Tony twirled his sunglasses. “Maybe. I’m not sure yet. One of our knights was compromised by someone high-up. My bishop is still in place, so I’ll see what he can dig up for me.”

Erik stared, unblinking for a long moment. Tony forced himself not to fidget. Even though Tony knows he’s done nothing wrong, the dragon’s stare never failed to make him twitch, even all these years later. After a beat, Erik nodded. “Be careful.”

Tony grinned. “I always am.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony definitely learned some of his flair for the dramatic from his mentor and his fellow knights haha. Hopefully you enjoyed this chapter - let me know what you think!


	4. Chapter 4

Tony stared absentmindedly at the glowing sign above the top of the stairs.  _ The Iron Magnolia  _ neon sign flashed at customers as they left, a reminder of their night and a subconscious nudge to return again. 

For Tony, it was always a reminder of another long forgotten club long ago, where his mother would sing late into the night. Where the pianist, Jarvis, taught Tony how to play his mama’s favourite song on the grand piano. Where the cook, Ana, had snuck him the best candies. 

Where tucked away in a small corner of Maria’s dressing room, his mother chased nightmares away with his favourite lullabies. The smell of magnolia flowers always lingered in his dreams, and followed them home to fill their small apartment. 

While Tony always marveled at the beautiful clothing, luxury purses and expensive jewelry that his mother would bring home with her at the end of the day, his mother always loved the flowers the most. It never took long for her admirers to realize she only brought home the magnolias. 

When Tony had asked her why,  she smiled softly, tugging him into her lap.  “Because they’re my favourite Antonio. Just like you.”

It wasn’t until years later, that Tony realized she never really answered his question. It didn’t matter though. Because even at a young age, Tony recognized that far-off look on her face often.

Thinking of Howard always make her wistful.

A gentle nudge brought him back to the present. Yasha looked down at him in concern. “Alright?”

Tony blinked, nodding as he walked up the stairs towards the door, reassured that Yasha was right behind him, always a comforting shadow. Opening the doors, the morning sun greeted them with a warm glow. Most of the city would be just waking up, preparing themselves to fight against the early morning rush.

Happy pulled open the back door with a nod, shutting the door as soon as Tony was in. After Yasha slid into the seat beside him, Tony closed his eyes. 

“Let’s go.”

* * *

Steve pulled his jacket tighter around his frame as he quickened his pace, waving to Darcy as he approached the front desk. Darcy popped the piece of gum in her mouth as she crooked her finger at him. Steve stopped in front of the desk with a startled yelp as Darcy poked him in the chest.

“You! It’s one thing if I have to read through all of Lang’s emails, messages and case files, but when _you_ _get yourself suspended_ , I have triple the workload!”

Steve winced. “Sorry Darcy. I didn’t think they’d dump it all on you.”

Darcy leaned back in her chair. “Yeah, well technically it was left to me and Ian, but he’s been sick so now I’m doing all the work by myself.”

Steve raised his hands. “I’m sorry. But that’s why i’m here. I wanted to sort through some of my emails and mail so it doesn’t all pile up when I get back. And, so you don’t have to sort through all of them.”

Darcy broke out into a grin. “I _knew_ you were my favourite detective for a reason.”

Steve shook his head with a smile. “Thanks again Darcy, I’ll see you later.”

Darcy yelled a goodbye as Steve turned the corner.

If Steve timed this right, most people would be on their lunch break right now, leaving Steve enough time to find what he needs and get out before he was caught.

The familiar whiff of cold coffee and stale donuts greeted him as Steve walked past the desks. The printer whirred and clicked as it spit out documents and Steve shivered as he passed by the rumble of the air conditioner. The thermostat was still waiting to be fixed by the elusive repairman that never seemed to show up,  so the cool air was seemingly always on full blast.

Steve made a beeline for his desk, scanning through his mail as he waited for his computer to power on. Sam and Rumlow were both thankfully away from their desks, and Sharon was likely in court today which means the only one left he had to worry about was-

“I thought you were still on vacation.”

Steve held back a wince as he swivelled to smile up at the sergeant leaning against his desk. “Hey Phil. I am. Just thought I’d check my mail and emails. I figured it would save me time once I came back, so I don’t have a large stack waiting for me once I returned.”

Steve resisted the urge to fidget and forced a smile. The fae always had the uncanny ability to stare at you until you spilled all your secrets. And while that made him a formidable sergeant, Steve was just hoping that Coulson wouldn’t press any further.

After a long pause, Coulson inclined his head. “Alright. but don’t stay too long. Fury is having a meeting this afternoon.”

Steve nodded at the implication.  _ He won’t be happy seeing you here. _

“Got it, thanks.”

Coulson clasped Steve’s shoulder before heading back to his office. Steve waited until the door shut behind him before he turned back to his computer.

Sliding his hand in his pocket, Steve glanced down at the enlistment number to lookup. Fingers flying across the keyboard, he entered the numbers and hit enter. The loading screen blinked at him as Steve tapped his hand on his desk.

“Rogers! What the hell man?”

Steve jumped, pulling up another screen seconds before he heard a thump on his desk. Sam reached into the paper bag, unwrapping his sub. Taking a large bite out of his sandwich, Sam lightly punched Steve on the shoulder. “You didn't’ tell me you were coming back in today, we could’ve gone for lunch.”

“Maybe that’s because he didn’t want to do lunch with you Wilson” Brock interrupted with a smirk.

Sam rolled his eyes. “Not everyone is like you Rumlow. We don’t always run away during our lunch breaks. Some of us actually like spending our lunch breaks together.”

“Sorry Sam I just decided last minute to drop by or I would’ve called you first,” interrupted Steve. While he was used to Sam and Brock’s bickering, he wasn’t in the mood for it today. “I’ll let you know the next time I drop by and we can figure something out.”

Sam raised his eyebrow at Brock triumphantly. Brock huffed. “Whatever, what are you doing here anyways Rogers? I thought you were still suspended? Or have you finally figured out that Lang played you and all of us?”

Sam bristled beside him, but Steve shook his head. He turned to Rumlow with his arms crossed “I’m just checking my mail. Scott’s case still hasn’t gone to trial yet, so there’s still time for new evidence to be submitted-”

“Just give it up Rogers. There’s no need to stick your neck out for that asshole. He played you and all of us.” Rumlow grabbed a file off his desk, wandering over to Coulson’s office. “The sooner you realize that, the sooner Fury will bring you back!”

The door shut behind him and Sam muttered under his breath, collapsing into his chair. “Ignore him. There’s a lot of us that want to know what’s really going on. We’re all rooting for you man. Just call me if I can help you out.”

Steve glanced quickly at his screen, and discreetly pressed the print button. “Thanks Sam. I’m looking into a few things, so I’ll let you know if I find anything.”

Sam slurped his pop. “Good. You don’t have to do this alone you know.”

Shoving his pile of letters into a drawer, Steve stood up with a stretch. “I know. Thanks.”

“Anytime," replied Sam, "don’t be a stranger.”

Steve slowly walked past the printer, turning his body so he could slide the printed pages under his jacket as he walked out of the police station.

It was only after he had walked back to his apartment that Steve let out a sigh of relief. Smoothing out the wrinkled papers, Steve scanned the pages before cursing. He crumpled up the papers in frustration.

INSUFFICIENT CLEARANCE was stamped across the top in red. Any identifying or useful information was redacted and blacked out.

Steve collapsed onto his couch, unease filling his stomach.

What the hell was so special about this record that it was locked up so tightly?

More importantly, what the hell was he gonna do now?


	5. Chapter 5

“My darling Pepper, the light of my life, the wind beneath my wings, the-” **  
**

“-one still telling you no? Come on Tony, this is too much.”

Pepper frowned, teacup halfway to her lips as she stared down at the stack of papers in front of her desk. The perfectly red manicured nails tapped the desk, eyebrows furrowed as she stared Tony down. Her sharp features shimmered in the afternoon sun, even through the tinted windows.

“You know that Rhodey will complain about the big fuss. And before you bring it up again, _no we are not buying Coney Island to rename it Rhodey Island_.”

Tony sniffed as he sipped his tea, staring out the giant glass windows. The various people rushing down below always reminded Tony of ants, small and busy as they rushed from place to place. With an automatic click, the shades lowered halfway to shade the occupants from the bright afternoon sun.

Pepper brushed a stray hair from out of her face. Her hair glowed and sparkled as the remnants of the sunlight swirled around the fae “You know better than anyone that the best gift for Rhodey would be a quiet night in.”

Tony slumped. “Yeah. I just thought because of what happened last year-”

Pepper’s eyes softened. “I know. But that wasn’t your fault Tony. Nothing you could’ve done to change that.”

Tony sighed. “You’ll bring the wine?”

Pepper nodded. “I’ve got a few nice bottles from some clients.”

Tony whistled. “You saved us the murder wine?”

Pepper rolled her eyes, “Technically, they were proven innocent so non-murderer wine.”

“Only the best for our Rhodey bear,” agreed Tony, “all that top shelf white collar crime wine.”

A knock on the door had Pepper pause in her protests. “Yes?”

Wanda poked her head through the door, “Sorry to interrupt. Natasha called to say you’ll both want to visit Clint. He thinks you might want to take a look at this bird.”

Pepper closed the folder she had open and clasped her hands. “Thank you Wanda. We’ll head down now.”

Tony yawned as Wanda closed the door behind her. “Next time let’s meet for brunch first. That’s something normal people do right?”

Pepper locked her filing cabinet with a click. “Yes, but then you can’t bitch about Tiberius’ latest stunt can you?”

Tony frowned. “True. But I want mimosas.”

Pepper grabbed her purse. “Fine. As long as we get pancakes too.”

“Deal.”

* * *

“So I’m impressed,” said Tony. He glanced down at the prisoner restrained by iron shackles and chains. “Not many fae would last this long without screaming. What do you think Pep?”

Pepper hummed, her eyes cold as she stared at the prisoner with a sneer as she leaned against the back wall.

Clint yanked the iron chains tighter. The fae hissed as the shackles slowly seared his skin. But he still remained silent, choosing instead to glare at the Tony perched on the stool across from him.

Tony’s eyes glinted, eyes flashing gold. He picked up the handgun from the metal table beside him. “So because I’m so nice, I’ll to give you one last chance. I’m going to count to three, and you’re going to tell me what you know.”

The fae stared back unblinking

“One,” counted Tony.

The fae grit his teeth, sweat and blood dripping onto the ground, but still said nothing.

“Two.”

Tony flicked off the safety aiming the gun at the fae’s forehead. The fae closed his eyes, but Tony didn’t miss the simmering anger reflected back.

Tony paused, flicking the safety back on the gun. He placed it slowly back onto the table, reaching for the sharp curved knife instead. Motioning to Clint, Tony pointed at the fae’s mouth.

“Open him up.”

The fae snarled as Clint forced his mouth and held it open. Wearing a thick pair of black gloves, Tony grabbed a hold of the fae’s tongue and lifted it. The underside was marked with dark black symbols that pulsed and glowed. Clint inhaled sharply as Tony clicked his tongue.

“No wonder he can’t say anything, he’s cursed.”

Tony hummed as he pressed the knife against the underside of the tongue, watching as the symbols hissed and glowed as a line of blood appeared. Pepper leaned in closer, head tilted to the side. “Not only that, but Ariel’s curse. A bit crudely done, but effective.”

Tony straightened wiping the saliva and blood off his knife onto the fae’s shirt. “Well, unfortunately for you, there’s no easy way to break the curse without simply cutting out the tongue.”

The fae flinched, but still said nothing. Tony continued, “ -lucky enough for you, Pepper is probably the most patient person I know.”

Tony stood back, tossing the knife back onto the table. He turned to Pepper with a sigh. “Sorry Pepperpot, looks like our brunch date will have to be postponed.”

Pepper flicked her wrists as she rolled up her sleeves, folding them at the elbow. “I’ll have Wanda book us an afternoon next week.”

Tendrils of blue smoke swirled around Pepper’s hands as she locked eyes with the bleeding fae in front of her. While the fae was livid before, this was the first time he actually looked a bit scared. Tony didn’t blame him; it’s not everyday one faces the unflappable Pepper Potts.

“You dare use this against your own kind?” bit the fae.“Following the orders of a  _siren_ nonetheless. You’re a disgrace Potts.”

The sharp slap had the prisoner hissing with a laugh. Lines of blood trailed down his face from Pepper’s nails as he raised his head, tilting it towards Tony. “You’ll pay for this. All of you. Just like that whore mother of yours-”

In an instant the warehouse was filled with a blood curdling scream. The iron bar burned as Tony pressed it into the neck of the prisoner. Clint’s face was dark as he tightened the chains. Pepper dug her nails into the prisoner’s shoulder as he slumped over, unconscious.

Tony closed his eyes with a nod, clenching his fists as he forced himself to take a few breaths. He was long past caring what people thought of him. But no matter what people said about him...his mother deserved better.

_“I’m sorry Anthony,” whispered his mother as she pulled him into a tight hug. She pressed the ice pack gently to his eye. The boys at school never did hold back, even at the age of eight. “I know it’s hard, but people will always call people like us names.”_

_“But why?”_

_“Because....” his mother trailed off, “just because that’s the way things are..”_

Tony always knew he was special, but until that day, he didn’t know that special meant. That people would treat him with disdain and scorn every time he would proudly tell them what they thought of them.

Whore. Slut. Golddigger.

It didn’t matter that he was a child, or that his mother tried to ignore it all. Soon enough, Tony learned not to proudly tell people who he was, or how proud he was of his mother.

It didn’t take long for Tony to learn that special meant hated.

Tony closed his eyes as he took a few deep breaths. A few minutes passed before the tension in his shoulders released. Clint stared at him worriedly, but Tony shook his head and clasped him on the shoulder, squeezing in reassurance. ”She should have all she needs, but give her a hand if she wants it, After you’re both done, call the crew to clean up.”

Clint saluted with two fingers. “Got it boss. You need me to call Happy?”

Tony shook his head, “I’ll call him myself. Have fun you two.”

He ducked his head under the plastic tarp, closing the metal doors behind him. The noises inside where muffled with the rattling of the rain, battering against the older warehouse buildings that lined the dock. Tony cupped his hand over his phone, squinting against the spray of water. He rapidly typed out a message on his phone, wiping the screen on his sleeve before sliding it back into his pocket.

An umbrella extended to cover his head from the pouring rain. Tony’s lips twitched and he extended his arm to pull Yasha closer underneath the umbrella. Yasha radiated warmth as he shuffled in closer.

Tony tilted his head back closing his eyes, “You’ll get sick if you stand out here too long.”

Yasha adjusted the umbrella, tucking Tony slightly in front of him so that he was completely shielded from the rain. He scrutinized Tony fondly “A little rain won’t hurt me. You’re still recovering from that cold.”

Tony patted Yasha’s arm. “I’m fine. Nothing I can’t handle. Come on cupcake, let’s get out of here before the wind knocks us over.”

Tony felt Yasha’s hand at the small of his back, radiating warmth as it guided him through the rain. Yasha rubbed his back with his thumb.

“Do you want me to kill him?”

Yasha’s tone was matter-of-fact, like he was talking about the weather, or asking for the time. And some twisted part of Tony was filled with warmth at Yasha’s willingness to kill a man just because Tony wanted him to. That level of devotion, of unwavering loyalty should’ve scared him.

But it never did.

“Pepper and Clint will get to that eventually,” replied Tony as he found his voice. There was no point lying to Yasha. He was one of the few that somehow always saw through Tony’s lies.  

“Let’s go home.”

Their shoes squished as they navigated through the puddles, the rain instantly washing away all the blood down the drain. 

=

_“That’s not fair,” scowled Tony, crossing his arms._

_“I know,” sighed Maria. She smiled sadly. “Maybe one day you can change things sweetheart.”_

_“I will,” declared Tony, nodding his head. “I promise Mama, I’ll make them see.”_

_Maria ran her fingers through Tony’s soft curls. “I know you will my darling. You’re my brightest star. If anyone can do it, it will be you.”_


	6. Chapter 6

Steve stared at the computer blankly, checking over his shoulder as giggling kids whispered behind the shelves. The library was fairly lively today, with a usual crowd of students huddled over textbooks and their laptops in the far corner. Mothers herded their children around the shorter bookshelves, helping them pick out bedtime stories to be read over and over again. **  
**

Steve used to love coming here after school. His mother worked long hours at the hospital, and with all his health problems, his ma usually wanted him to head straight home after school. The library was the only exception.

Bertha the librarian always had a kind smile for him, even sneaking him a few cookies every once in a while. “Don’t tell your mother,” whispered Bertha with a wink. Even now almost a decade later, Bertha still teased Steve for reading the same books over and over again.

Crime and mystery novels were always Steve’s favourites, and he always tried to guess along with the detectives, theorizing what really happened before reaching the final deduction.

Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Hercule Poirot.

Always working towards the truth for the greater good. Always wonderfully weird.

Steve felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck, and he quickly switched tabs. Someone cleared their throat, behind him and he glanced up. A bespeckled woman with a short bob stared down at him.

“Can I help you with something?”

Steve smiled and shook his head, hunching himself to casually cover as much of his screen that he could. “No I think I’m fine thank you. Is Bertha here? I haven’t seen her at all, I thought she worked on Tuesdays?”

She stared at Steve searchingly, pursing her lips as she scanned him. His heart pounded in his chest as something pulled from deep within him. A familiar warm of energy swirled around in his stomach, the same one he’d get every once in a while on a hard case.

Darcy always shook her head in astonishment whenever Steve’s ‘gut’ feelings came true. She’d laugh before punching him lightly in the shoulder. ‘You sure you’re not secretly one of the fair folk are you?”

He’d always laughed it off; his mother always denied it after all. Secretly though, Steve always did wonder…

The librarian straightened, and for a moment, Steve swore her eyes darkened before she smoothed out her expression into a pleasant smile.“No, she took today off. Let me know if you need a hand.”

“I see,” said Steve, stomach still fluttering with unease. “I will, thank you.”

Steve watched as she walked back to the librarian’s desk, waiting until she started helping a group of teenagers before he let himself relax. He felt a twinge of guilt, but he’s been on edge this entire week.

He couldn’t explain it, but no matter how many times he turned around, or circled around the park a few times before he walked home, it always felt like someone was watching him.

Or maybe it was finally his paranoia catching up to him.

Shaking his head, Steve quickly pulled up the database he was looking for, plugging in the usb. Typing in the password, Steve worked to decrypt the usb mailed to him with the requested information. It had taken him a while to find the right contacts, but Steve was finally able to purchase some help from the hacker, Weasel.

Steve scanned the information, furrowing his brows. It was just a series of..random words? Some in english, others in what looked like russian, Steve quickly tried to memorize what he could. It might not be what Tony was looking for but...hopefully this would be enough.

Steve glanced around once again before unplugging the usb, sliding it back into his jacket pocket.

A almost jumped out of his skin as a hand came down on his shoulder. Steve whipped his head around to see a silver haired guy, wiggling his fingers full of rings at him before he sat down next to him. “Hey Steve, act natural and like we’re talking about the weather.”

Steve could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He forced his voice to remain as he cleared his throat. “And why should I do that?”

The younger man laughed, leaning in casually to tap the blank computer screen, like Steve has shown him something funny. “Well detective, if you can discreetly take a glance over the librarian’s desk, you might be able to see a small mirror behind the desk. Don’t make it obvious.”

_Detective._

Other than his colleagues at the station the only other person who calls him that was…

Tony.

Pietro sighed, but leaned forward. He rolled up his left sleeve a bit, just above the wrist. WIth a snap of his fingers, a flash of gold circled his wrist and a small glowing tattoo appeared on the inside of his wrist. The small chess piece, a knight, glimmered in the artificial lights of the library.

“Happy?” replied Pietro, the tattoo fading once again as he rolled his sleeve back down. “Hurry up now, but make it casual.”

Steve tilted in head towards the main desk. His eyes passed over librarian from earlier, helping a group of students, over to the slightly closed door to the office. Which was odd, because Bertha normally liked to keep the door open. Steve stretched his arms wide, leaning back in his chair with a wide yawn to glance behind the desk.

Bile rose in his throat as he caught a glimpse of familiar red shoes, peeking out through the crack.

_Bertha._

Pietro hummed. “Yeah, that new librarian is a real piece of work. Don’t worry, I’m pretty sure Bertha’s still breathing, it would draw too much attention to get rid of her permanently. And before you charge in to check on her and get us all killed, I’ll get someone to help after we’ve left.”

Steve clenched his fists. “Fine. Why are we still here, and not leaving?”

Pietro snagged the mouse, clicking around on the screen until he pulled up a video calling app. Dragging and minimizing the screen into the corner, Pietro, turned on the camera. “Take a look yourself. At your eight and three o’clock.”

Steve squinted a bit at the screen, eyes scanning the crowd. In the far corner, a slender pixie flipped through a giant book. After a few seconds though, it was clear that they kept looking over towards Steve.

On the other side of the room, a businessman flipped through a magazine as he leaned against the wall. Normally, it would be easy for Steve’s eyes to slide right over him, but…

“Yeah,” agreed Pietro, “Pretty sure no one actually reads a dictionary like that. If you haven’t figured it out yet, he’s been keeping an eye on you the entire time you’ve been here.”

Steve coughed “Which makes him different from you, how exactly?”

Pietro snorted. “I was sent to keep your head attached to your neck if you catch my meaning. Those other ones, not so much. And to answer your question, we were waiting for the distraction...which is now. Let’s go.”

Pietro clasped Steve on the shoulder before turning and heading towards the door, leaving Steve to scramble and grab his things before hurrying out behind him. Glancing up behind him, Steve winced as he heard the ear shattering cry of a baby, their mother attempting to soothe them. He ducked behind the bookshelf and out the heavy main doors.

Squinting in against the hot afternoon sun, Steve rushed down the sidewalk in the direction PIetro took off.

As he turned the corner, an arm darted out, pulling Steve into the dark alcove. Pietro lifted a hand to his lips as they heard footsteps rush past them. Steve started to move but Pietro shook his head, tightening his grip on Steve’s shirt for another few moments. After a beat, the sound of footsteps pacing back and forth grew louder before fading away into the distance.

Pietro nodded, before sliding an arm around Steve’s waist. “You’ll want to hold on for this.”

Just as Steve opened his mouth, the world was a blur around them. Seconds passed, and suddenly, they were in front of a familiar alleyway. Steve stumbled a bit before leaning against the wall, heaving as he tried to keep his lunch down.

“Oops, sorry. Forgot to warn you about that.”

Steve glared at Pietro, who didn’t look guilty at all as he examined the brick wall. Pietro cursed. “Shit, I forgot it was being moved..”

Steve shook his head as he tried to clear his head and stop the world from spinning. “What?”

“The entrance,” replied Pietro, frowning as he felt the smooth brick wall, “the entrance to the Iron Magnolia teleports every so often. That’s why you needed to find the password and the location. How the hell did you find us in the first place if you didn’t know that?”

“I-” Steve paused. Huh. Although Scott was able to get him the information, if Steve was a few days late, he might have never found his way to the speakeasy. “Got lucky I guess.”

Pietro raised an eyebrow, tapping at his phone. “No shit. Gimme a sec here- hello? Boss? It’s me, yeah about your job...he had eyes and hands on him so I extracted him. He’s here next to me. Okay, I got it, see you soon.”

PIetro hung up. “Alright, the boss says to take you back to the club. You can stay with us until those tails of yours are taken care of.”

Steve nodded, stepping back with a groan as Pietro descended on him again. “Not again-”

Pietro grinned. “Clench up detective, here we go.”

* * *

The bookcase swung shut behind them, as Pietro led them down the staircase. Steve jolted, nearly tripping as Pietro stopped midway down the stairs.

Steve bit his tongue, but the words died in his throat as he looked past Pietro’s shoulder.

“What the fuck is going on here?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter, but I just wanted to get this one up since it's been a while. It'll be a jump back to Tony in the next chapter!


	7. Chapter 7

_The toddler sobbed, kicking and wailing as his mama handed him off. Maria pressed a kiss to his forehead, murmuring an apology before allowing herself to be led away. Thankfully, Aunt Peggy immediately cuddled him tightly to her chest, shushing him as best as she could. She slipped out of the pew and moved quickly into the hallway, closing the door behind her.  
_

_“Oh Ducky, I know, it’s been a long day hasn’t it?”_

_Tony kicked in agreement. Not only was it a long day, it was a day filled with all these new people, staring and cooing at him. Mama was also crying as much as Tony was, so maybe it wasn’t just him. However unlike all the other times that mama started to cry, this time, his papa didn’t show up._

_The candles flickered and danced across the glass windows, reflecting colours all around them and for a moment, Tony forgot why he was crying. Peggy used Tony’s momentary distraction to wipe at his face. She lifted him higher, and Tony’s fingers automatically curled, gripping her hair in his fist. Peggy started to bounce him as she walked up and down, whispering into Tony’s ears._

_“I’m sorry sweetheart. Your mama’s gonna be a little sad for a while so you’re gonna come stay with me and your Aunt Angie okay?”_

_“You sure that’s the best idea Peg? You both just got out of the hospital.”_

_Peggy wavered for a moment in her rocking, which caused Tony to start whining again. She hushed him, rocking him side to side and Tony settled down once again, his eyes drifting shut._

_She glanced at the man leaning against the wall, slightly obscured in the shadows. “I’m all out of good ideas. Edwin and Ana are still in the hospital, Maria is overwhelmed with all the funeral arrangements, and it’s not like Phillips is letting me back at work anytime soon to tackle the job. Any new leads on that yet?”_

_The man stared. “You know I’m not allowed to tell you anything-”_

_“Oh cut the bullshit Fury,” huffed Peggy,  “Tell me.”_

_“Nothing concrete,” Fury admitted, “A few whispers here and there, but we’re guessing it had to do with his last case.”_

_“Hydra? This had to do with them?”_

_“Like I said, nothing concrete. We’ve got no proof to tie them to anything, if they even exist. But if I were a betting man…”_

_Peggy sighed. She sank down into one of the benches. It was out of her hands right now anyways. “She glanced back towards the main doors, where the rest of the department were currently seated.  “I’m surprised half of them bothered to show up. They all hated Howard.”_

_Fury shrugged before taking the seat next to her. “The press is having a field day outside. And no matter how much they all hated him, he was still one of their own.”_

_Fury got to his feet and slid his hands in his pocket. “Just...take care of yourself and keep an eye on the kid.”_

_Peggy swallowed, her eyes scanning Fury’s face. “...is someone still after them?”_

_“Maybe,” admitted Fury. He glanced up and down the hallway. “A lot of these gangs don’t like loose ends.”_

_With a nod and a wave, Fury closed the main doors behind him with a click._

_Tony wrinkled his nose with a cough at the noise. Peggy readjusted his blanket. “You’ll be okay Tony. You’ll be okay.”_

* * *

“Tony?”

Tony jolted, lifting his head from the window. He couldn’t hold back the yawn that overtook him as he turned towards Yasha. ”Hmm?”

Yasha’s eyes softened. He gently tugged Tony’s head onto his lap with a huff. “We could still cancel this meeting.”

Tony closed his eyes, letting Yasha’’s fingers comb through his hair. “No, we’ve already rescheduled once, we can’t cancel on them again.”

“I don’t like this,” grumbled Yasha.

Tony sighed fondly. Yasha was never silent in how much he hated these meetings. Apparently, they were always obscure, always insecure, and never had enough cover. “You never do.”

“Can’t you just call them?”

“It’s less secure that way,” argued Tony, “And according to Natasha, we probably have a runner on our hands. We don’t want him bolting before giving us the information we need.”

Yasha closed his mouth with a scowl. He sighed and leaned back against the seat. “What about your police contact?

Tony frowned. “I don’t want to call on him too often. The less contact with us, the better his cover.”

The buzzing of his phone interrupted his next thoughts, and Tony sat up with a stretch. Yasha listened intently as Tony took the call.

“Yes.  The library? That’s fine. Once you lose your tail, take him to the club. Wait for us there.”

Tony hung up before sliding his phone back into his jacket pocket. He turned to Yasha. “Pietro had to extract our new detective from the library.”

Yasha narrowed his eyes, reading between the lines. “That’s months earlier than you thought.”

Tony hummed, staring out the window. “They’re moving faster than expected. Make sure we’re prepared.”

Yasha nodded, and Tony could see the shift in his posture as they pulled up to the curve. Happy coughed from the front, lowering the privacy screen. “We’re here boss.”

Yasha’s eyes scanned the area carefully before getting out himself.. Tony waited in the car as Yasha prowled up and down the street, scanning for any potential threats. Tony always loved watching Yasha do his sweeps. His ears twitched as he sniffed for any odd scents, a line of tension in his shoulders preparing him to shift at a moment’s notice.

Satisfied for now, Yasha motioned for Tony to join him. He grimaced, “You’ll want to see this.”

Tony stepped outside and with Yasha flanking him, they walked together. The warehouses were empty, mostly abandoned in this area, with those still in use mostly used for storage. Walking past a cluster of empty storehouses, Tony and Yasha turned into the hidden alley.

Tony cursed as he spotted the slumped body in the corner, only just visible behind the dumpster. Their contact was face down in a pool of his own blood, his hand cut off with only a stump remaining.

With a pair of plastic gloves, Tony gingerly turned the man’s head with a grimace. It was clear that the blood pooled around his head had gushed out of the man’s mouth, the missing tongue intending to send a clear message.

_Snitch._

Tony snarled, his eyes flashing in anger. “Fuckfuckfuck. _Someone went and fucked up_ and now we’re going to have to find another way in-”

Loud bangs filled the air, and Tony cursed once again as they got closer and closer. “Really? What kind of ambush is this?  _They couldn’t even be sneaky about it_ -”

Tony pulled his gun out, aiming it in front of him as he ran down the alley with Yasha at his heels. Yasha ripped off his bulletproof vest, fur overtaking the skin as his face elongated into a snout. Long claws stretched and grew and a rumbling growl finished Yasha's transformation. In his werewolf form, Yasha easily overtook Tony as they ran together.

A screeching of tires and a few seconds later, Happy pulled up in front of the mouth of the alley. “Get in!”

Tony and Yasha sprinted towards the car and Yasha growled as the sounds of footsteps grew closwer. He picked grabbed the back of Tony’s collar and tossed him through the open door.

Tony cursed as he bounced on the back seat, Yasha diving in behind him and slamming the door shut. Happy shot off onto the street and turned onto the side road.Two black cars swarmed them from either side, showering the car with bullets as Happy weaved in and around the warehouses.

Wincing at the ricochets from the bulletproof glass,  Tony pressed a hidden button. The cushions in the seats across from them Yasha grabbed his rifle while Tony loaded his pistol. With a nod from Yasha, Tony yelled backwards to Happy. “Alright we’re ready Happy, put up the forcefield.”

With a grunt, Happy swerved out of the way while pressing the red button on his console. In a flash, a glowing blue forcefield surrounded the car, the bullets bouncing off it as the rampage continued. Tony and Yasha popped their heads out of the sunroof and took aim, firing back at one car each.

Firing clip after clip, Tony and Yasha made quick work of the black sedans, both cars falling behind and turning away. With their last clip emptied, Tony and Yasha slid back into the car with a sigh. Happy deactivated the forcefield and minutes later, he turned them back onto the main road, weaving back into traffic. 

Tony unloaded his gun and tossed it onto the seat in front of him, Yasha doing the same beside him with his rifle. Tony narrowed his eyes. “Let me see.”

Yasha swallowed tightly. “I’m fine.”

Tony leaned forward and narrowed his eyes. He poked at Yasha’s ribs with his finger, raising an eyebrow at the wince. “Show me.”

Yasha closed his eyes, shifting back to his human form. Tony hissed, pulling off his jacket to press it against Yasha’s bleeding side. The wound pulsed as Yasha winced again. Tony inhaled sharply as he felt the wound pulse under the pressure. “Fuck, they probably used silver bullets. Get us home Happy, and make sure Bruce is there.”

“On it boss.”

Happy tore through traffic, weaving in and out of the cars around them towards the club.

Tony pressed Yasha’s hand against his side, his hands sliding up to cradle Yasha’s face between his hands. Tony leaned his forehead against Yasha’s, trying to keep his focus as Yasha’s eyes started to lose focus.  “Stay focused on me. You’ll be alright.”

_You’ll be alright._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm participating in Marvel Trumps Hate this week and am offering a few items! If you're interested in a personalized fic, beta services or a moodboard/banner created just for you, take a look at [my creator page!](https://mthofferings.tumblr.com/post/179201341561/summerpipedream-see-summerpipedreams-existing) The event finishes tomorrow (Oct 27 11:59pm EST 2018), so take a look before it closes!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a while but I have a short update for you! Please note the updated tags - eventually, this will likely turn into a Steve/Tony/Bucky fic. To how that will look is still undecided, but I thought I'd let you know advance! Enjoy the chapter!

Pain. Searing pain throbbed through his side as the world drifted in and out. 

Yasha closed his eyes, tuning everything out but the feeling of fingers brushing through his hair. The touch was familiar,  _ soothing _ even, and Yasha didn’t have to open his eyes to know that Tony was with him, that Tony would make it all better. 

Yasha instinctively curled closer towards the warm hand, a whine rattling in his chest at the sharp smell of  _ concern  _ and  _ fear _ in the air. Yasha didn’t like it when Tony smelled like that. The fragrant citrus that Yasha loved was now sour and bitter.

He winced as the searing pain in his side pulsed again, the burning sensation in his side only growing stronger as Yasha grit his teeth. Silver, his mind supplied, of course it had to be silver.

The familiar sensation of silver searing his shoulder had him whimpering. No, no, no. No more burning, no needles piercing him every time he moved his arm, no more  _ pain- _

“Shh- I know. We’re almost there sugar. Just hold on a little longer, here we go-”

Two pairs of hands lifted him carefully to his feet, and Yasha could feel his feet working on autopilot, stumbling as they climbed down the club’s stairs. The world continued to spin, even as he laid down onto the table and closed his eyes.

Murmurs floated around him, the sharp scent of alcohol overtaking his senses and for a second Yasha was the Asset once more. The muzzle lined with silver burned and seared, the pain a constant reminder of the consequences of disobedience. 

_ You will comply. _

Hands gently tugged his arm away from his side which continued to throb and pulse as another wave of pain hit. 

_ You will obey. _

“I know it hurts sweetheart, but you have to let us take a look-”

_ Or else. _

A cool hand clasped his hand, and the familiar citrus scent of Tony filled his senses.

“It’s just Helen. She’s gonna give you something to help with the pain now okay?”

_ Asset, do you understand? _

“I’m right here darling, focus on me-”

_ You will comply. _

Yasha leaned forward, pressing his nose into the cool hand with a whine. He forced himself to breathe, in and out, allowing Tony’s scent to ground him and to force the memories back in a dark corner where they belonged.

The hand in his squeezed gently in warning before the sharp scent of alcohol hit his nose and a small prick on his arm. 

“- should help him sleep, and numb the pain-”

Yasha breathed deeply as best as he could, opening his eyes as the hand moved up to his face. Tony cupped his face. “Yasha, Helen is gonna need to remove the bullet. I’m gonna give you a little boost to help you sleep alright? Will you let me help you?”

At Yasha’s nod, Tony’s eyes flashed a bright gold. “ _Sleep Yasha_. Sleep well.”

Yasha hummed, already asleep before his eyes drifted shut.

* * *

 

The smell of antiseptic alcohol hit him immediately, as Steve entered the club with Pietro trailing behind him. Most of the chairs were pushed to the side of the room, with space cleared around a single table in the center. 

Steve barely registered the whistle behind him and Pietro’s hand on his shoulder. His eyes were locked onto the large pool of blood that was smeared on the table. A dark haired woman dressed in blue scrubs stained with blood cleaned was scrubbing away at the table with a bucket of water and a bright yellow sponge. 

He jumped at the slap of a wet mop hitting the floor as Clint started to clean from the other side. Clint raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Didn’t expect a bigshot detective like you being afraid of a little blood-”

“I’m  _ not- _ but that’s a  _ lot _ of blood.” 

Steve’s mind whirled at the implications. No one could survive that amount of blood-

“No  _ human  _ maybe,” interjected the dark haired woman, “don’t forget where you are. And before you give me another look, yes you said that out loud.”

She turned back to her task, scrubbing away at the mess on the table.

“Don’t lose your lunch, I just cleaned that floor.” 

She glanced at him curiously as she dunked her sponge into the soapy water, now a tinted pink. “Heard you were a detective. Didn’t think your type was that squeamish around blood.” 

“I’m not,” swallowed Steve, “what happened here?”

“I didn’t say,” she replied. Steve waited, but she remained silent and it soon became apparent that she wasn’t going to elaborate any further. 

With a splash, she dropped her sponge back into the bucket and turned to Clint. “I’m due back soon. Here Barton, you finish this up. His natural healing mojo should kick in soon, but tell Tony to call me if there’s any complications.”

Steve didn’t even realize that she was gone until a bag was shoved at his chest. Clint eyed him curiously. “Did you need me to call the doc back?”

Steve shook his head. “No, but-”

Steve paled and motioned to the remaining dark stains on the table. Clint raised an eyebrow. “Do you really think we’d be stupid enough to let you in here if someone actually died?”

Steve didn’t want to admit it, but he couldn’t help but feel a rush of relief flood through him. As much as he wanted to forget who exactly he was dealing with, it was always at the back of his mind. 

Clint motioned up the backstairs. “Go bring this to the boss then. And remember- don’t ask questions you don’t wanna know the answer to. It’ll make things only harder on yourself.”

* * *

Some lovely art by letsallsleepoverwork!

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A shorter chapter but I didn't want to end on another cliffhanger this time! I hope you enjoyed it! Special shoutout to Mei for their fantastic artwork! I love it so much! Make sure to comment and let them know what you think! <3

**Author's Note:**

> Come talk to me on [tumblr](http://summerpipedream.tumblr.com/)


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